Driving mechanism



Aug. 25, 1931. R. A. WALTER DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 2s, 192s 2 Sheets-Sheet l /rfa 29 .73 36' 27 .C n mw R E www wim ma. M mm i,

Aug. 25, 1931. R. A. WALTER 1,820,852

DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2l WAl-qm ATT'oRNEYs Patented Aug. 25, 1931 RAYMOND A. WALTER, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

DRIVING MECHANISM Application filed August 23, 1928. Serial No. 301,555.

Thisinvention relates in general to reciprocating drives and 'more particularly has reference to a driving mechanism for reciprocating conveyors.

Previous to this time in drives of this character, no provision has been made for -the thorough lubrication of the various elements constituting the mechanism. The lack of lubrication of certain of the parts has often caused damagefand interrupted the -eilicient operation of the drive, sometimes requiring repairing the mechanism. In instances Wherev the parts have been flooded with lubricant, the friction of the drive has so heated they surrounding lubricant as to make it necessary to discontinue operation of the drive atfrequent intervals to allow the lubricant to cool.

,The motion translating devices used in connection with ,these types of drives have not generally been capable of adjustment 4for reversing the stroker of the conveyor, and hence the position of the drive has had to be changed when it was desired to transport material in the opposite direction to the nor mal course of travel.y The casings for these devices have.heretoforeusually formed a portion of the housing encasing the driving gear and ynot allowed ready emplacement of the mechanism in workings affording only a small amount of headroom.

The driving mechanisms employed in the past have also been adapted to operate a yconveyor through afdriving lever connected to a crosshead, thus imparting the motion through an arc and creating pendulumr 'stresses Which have been objectionable to ing conveyor in Which the lubricant lsurrounding the operative elements may be c1r' culated.

Still another object of this invention is,y

to provide a driving mechanism for a recip-` rocating conveyor in which all of the operative elements may be maintained submerged in lubricant and a cooling effect obtained, during operation of the drive. l

A further object of this inventiony is to provide a driving mechanism for a reciprocating conveyor having a motion translating device capable oit adjustment for reversing the direction of the drive.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a driving mechanism for a recip-V rocating conveyor in which the reciprocating motion is imparted to the conveyor in a fixed vertical and horizontal line. 'y i A still further object of this invention is to provide a driving mechanism for al reciprocating conveyor in Which the casings enclosing the motion imparting device may be emplaced under the conveyor trough to Whichk it is attached.

A still further object o'fthis invention is to provide a driving mechanism for a reciprocating conveyor in Which `the exposed portions of the interiork casingVv through Which connection with the vconveyor trough is aorded are protected from of foreign material. 'f A i With these and other objects infv vieur which maybe incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and coinbinations to be hereinafter s et yforth and claimed, With the understanding that the several necessary elements comprising my invention, may be varied in construction,

proportions and arrangement, Without dethe yentrance parting `from the spirit and scope-.of the appended claims. y

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carryT ing the same into practicalV effect, Without limiting the improvements iny their useful applications to the particular construction, Which for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings forming a pai't of this specification Figure 1 is a top plan view of the driving mechanism forming the subject mattei' of this invention.

- Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the driving mechanism.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the driving mechanism.

Figure 4 is a top plan view showingthe mechanism positioned for effecting the transport of materialin the direction `indicated by the arrow. Y

Figure 5 is a graph of 'thedmotion -imparted bythe driving mechanism when adjusted for transport in the direction shown inl Figure 4. f' v Figure 6 is a top plan view of the driving mechanism adjustedto effect transport in the reverse direction from that shown in Figure 4, as'indicated by the arrow.

`Figure 7 is a graph of the motion imparted by the driving mechanism whenadjusted for transport in the direction shown in'Figure 6. j p

' Figure 8 is a side elevational view of that part of the driving mechanism shown in Figures 4 and 6. Referring by numerals to the drawings, in which the same and similar elements are designated by like symbols of reference throughout, and more particularly to Figure 1, thereis shown the improved devicevcomy prisiiig a base y11'for mounting the mecha-V Y jecting flange v12 adapted to act as a support' for a prime mover and at the other end with an integralwell .13. The well, is formed nism. j y

The base 11, as shown vin Figure 2, is formed at oneend with a downwardly pro- Y with walls 14 projecting above the base and provided at the top lwith an outwardly extendingv flange '15. j The opposite side of the base is formed with an'extension 16, the

same being an extension of the well 13, VasV shown in Figure 3. The extension 16 forming a part of the well is provided with guides L for receiving crossheads to impartan accelerated and retarded reciprocating motion to a conveyor to be hereinafter described.

r`A casing 17 for mounting'a driving mechanism is fitted on the base over the well.

k"The 'casing 1,7isvformed rwith an outwardly projecting annular flange 1'8'Aaround the bottomA adapted to' be seated on' the flange 15 around thetop of the well and fastened thereon in anysuitable manner, such as by bolts engaging the flanges, having a gasket interposed between'tlie flanges to insure' a tight connection. The casing 17vis'formed with a raised bottom 19, having a `central aperture therein surrounded by a collar 21 extending above'and Ibelow the bottom and reinforced on the top by fins 22.

The underside ofthe collar 21 is providedk with an indented seat 23 adapted to receive a bearing 24, andthe interior of the upper portion of the collar tapered downwardly toward the bearing as at 25, so that the top of the collar acts as a dam for lubricant placed in the bottom of the casing. The top of the casingv is formed with anintegrally projecting flange 26, for receiving a closure v 27 having an annular bead 23 formed around the inner face thereof adapted to fit against 'heinsid'e' of the flange v26. The closure 28 is provided with an indented seat 29 having a central aperture therein and formed with a downwardly projecting cellar 31 around the rim of the aperture, having an inwardly projecting flange 32 at the bottom. rlhe Vcollar 31 is intendedto receive a bearing 33 adaptedtoV be'seated onvthe flange 32. A shaft 34 is mounted in the casing 17 with the ends journaled in the bearingsv 24 and 33. Y.

A crank 35 is fixed on the bottom end of the shaft, outside the casing 17, below the bearing 24. The shaft is fixed in the top bearing 33, by a nut 36, the end of the shaft being provided with'a reduced threaded exin a plane with the worm gear 37,1riaving inwardly projecting collars 42 and 43 adapt-` ed to receive adjustable bearing casings 44 and 45. A bearing support 46 carrying a roller bearing 47 is mounted inside the bears ing casing 44 as ai journal for-a shaft 4S extending through theV casing transversely with respect tov the shaft 34. One end of the shaftr43 is journaled inl a bearing 49 held in the casing 45 by an. annular collar 5l formed on'the inner side of a cap 52 and fixed by a nut 54. The cap52 is fixed over the outside of the-bearing casing by bolts 53.

Theshaft48 is formed withV shoulders 55 and 56 fitted `against the yinside of thebearings 47 and V49, and an integral worm gear 57 adapted to mesh withthe worm gear 37. Leakage of lubricant past' the bearing 47 out of the casing 17 `is prevented by apacking gland 58 mounted around the shaft 48 and seated in the top of the adjustable bearing easing 45.

"The end'` of theshaft48 projecting out of Vthe casing 17 is fixed to a coupling 59 connected to the drive shaft on a prime mover V61. rllhe prime mover 61, as shown in the drawings, is preferably ofthe electric type, mounted on the base V11 Vabove the flange 12.

Cil

il it' i 'When the horizontal shaft 48 is driven,

the shaft 34 will be likewise rotated through y the interaction of the worm gears 57 and 37.

A pump v62 is mounted on the base 11 and ydriven by a flexible driving mechanism 63 operated by the drive shaft on the motor. A- suctionV line 64 communicating with the pump is extended'through the Walls rv14 of the wellinto 'the bottom, and a discharge rline 65 connected to an elbow 66 threaded in an aperture in the: closure 27 communicating with the interior of the casing 17.

1t is intended that the well 13 be filled with -lubricantso that the same may be pumped out through suction vline 64 andcirculated by the pump through the discharge line 65 tothe casing 17, where it is maintained in the'casing at a level with the top ofthe collar 21. In this manner the upper portion of the collar 21 projecting in the lindentation 39 inthe bottom of the wormgear 37, maintains the two worm gears submerged'in the-lubricant.

A pan 67 is mounted on the shaft cent the bottom of the bearing 33 with the top extending above the bearing and so positioned that thek lubricant entering through the elbow 66 will falltherein. When the lubricant is introduced/from the pump, it enters the pan, which is thuswise kept continually full, and as the sides extend above the bearing 33, the bearing is maintained submerged in the lubricant. The excess` of lubricant entering from the pump and overflowing the pan rotating with the shaft is caused to be sprayed over lthe sides, thus giving rise to a cooling effect against the walls ofthe lcasing 17 before it falls into the body of oil inthe bottom at a level even with the top of the collar 21 acting as a dam.

A pan 68 is mounted on the'lower end of j collar 21 flows through ythe bearing 24 and into thepan 68 which, having edges extending above the bearing, maintains the same submerged in the lubricant.y The lubricant overflowing from the pan 68 which also rotates with kthe shaft 34, is sprayed 'into the well in the same manner as that overflowing the pan 67, and thus a cooling y,effect is likewise obtained from the excess of lubricant passing into the well which is recirculated through the oil pump by conveyance through the suction line 64.

Awrist pin 69is mounted on the end of the crank 35 and lj'ournaled in an upper bearing 71.0f a connecting rod 72. The upper bearing 71 of the connecting rod '72,

operatedfby the shaft 34 through the wrist pin 69, projecting from the crank 35, is adapted to rotate on an annular projection 73 formed in the bottom of the well 13 concentric withthe shaft 34` The other end of the connecting rod 72 is bifurcated to form ears 74 and 75 acting as a clevis to receive a pin 76 having pivotcd thereon the ends of a pair of toggle levers 77 and 78. The opposite ends of the toggle 1revers 77 and 78 are pivoted to' the ends of floating crossheads 79 and 81 by pins 82 and 83. The toggle lever 78, asv shown in Figure 8, is bifurcated to form ears 4 and 85 adapted to be pivoted to the ears 74 and 75 on the connecting rod 72 by the pin 76.

The crossheads 79 and 81 are adapted to operate in guides 86 and 87 formed integral with the bottom of the well 13, separated therefrom by cylindrical walls 88 and 89 formed o-n the base 11. The ends of thc guides are open for admitting the crossheads, being adapted to be closed by caps 91 and 92 threaded or otherwise. suitably secured therein.

The crossheads 79 and 81 are formed with upstanding flanges 93 and 94 having transverse apertures 95 and 96 extending therethrough. The apertures 9o and 96 are adapted to receive a. pin 97 for connection with corresponding apertures 98 formed in connecting flanges 99 and 101 provided on the bottom of the conveyor trough 102, as shown in'Figure 3. The connection between the flanges on' the crosshcad and on the bottoni of the conveyor trough is reinforced by a series of plates 103. f l

The connection of either the flanges 93 or 94 on the crossheads with the i'ianges 99 and 101 on the conveyor is determined according to the direction in which it is desiredV to transport material. The crossheads are provided with vertical apertures 104 and 105 at the outer ends, as shown in Figures 4 and 8, for receiving a pin 106 adapted to be inserted in corresponding apertures 107 and 108 formed 'on the ton and bottom ofthe guides according to which crosshead is connected through the pin 97 to the conveyor.

When it is wished to effect transportation in the direction of the arrow noted in Figure 4, the pin 106 is inserted in the aperture 107. The crosshead 79 is then fixed in position and, no longer being allowed to float, forms a fixed fulcrum for the toggle levers 77 and 78.

When the crank 35 is rotated by the driving mechanism, the toggle levers will be positioned during one end of a revolution of the crank as shown by the solid lines in Figure 4, vand at the other end of the revolution will be positioned as shown by the broken lines. lVhile progressing through these positions, the crosshead 81, which is free to Y ci) tion of 360.

conveyor j on abcissa. lheV horizontal line marked Zero is the neutral line at which the conveyor' has no velocity in either direction.

The horizontal lines above the :aeroy line, graduated 1 to 4E represent velocities in feet per second on the forward stroke of the convoyei'. The horizontal lines similarly grad.

uated below the zero or neutral line,vreprel sent thesaine velocities ron the return or backward stroke of the oonveyer. The vertical lines graduated froinBOo to 180o indicate the variouspositions of the conveyer through a complete forward and Vbackward strol:e comprising a complete revolu- The Vcurve line represents the velocity of the conveyer in the course of a complete` forward and backward stroke.

It will be seen that the velocity curve starts at the position of iest, at Zero degrees increasing rapidly until it attains a velocity of approximately 36 per second atY 115. The conveyer is 'then rapidly retarded until at the end of 180O or one-half of a complete revolution it again reaches the neutral line and is momentarily at a state of complete rest. The condition of rest, is of course, actually instantaneous. The conveyer ris speeded up from this point to its highest velocity on the return stroke attaining this velocity in the first 10" at the 120. From this point it then O'raduall reaches the state of completo rest or zero motion at the coin.- pletion of the full revolution of 360.

Vrlhe velocities are so gauged that on the forward stroke from zero degrees to1050) `they are at no point sufficiently great to overcome the friction between the conveyer trough andV the material being conveyed. The material therefore will move forward with the conveyor at just the same velocity Y during thisportion of the forward stroke.

lVhen the conveyerA is rapidly slowed up during the* remaining 750 of the forward stroke, the kinetic enei'gy accumulated by the material during the first part of the forf ward stroke is'sufliciently great to enable it to overcome the friction between the material and the conveyor causing the material to slide forward while the ,conveyer is passing from 105O to 1800. When the conveyor reaches the 1800V point constituting one-half of acoinpletc revolution which is the end of the forward stroke, the material will still be in motion.A Y

At this point the conveyer accomplishes that portion of the complete revolution einbraced within the first o ofthe return stroke (from 180o to 1150) or 180o to 22150 increasing the forward sliding of the material by vbeing rapidly drawn back from underneath the same.

l/Vhen properly controlled and regulated the sliding motion of the material will continue from the first 65Cl of the backward stroke fromf180 to 115:0, after which it will movevbackward with .the eonveyerY through the next 115.

v lt` will be noted that-the vcoiiveyier gradu,

ally' slows` up from llountil it reaches the end of the ,backward stroke at zero or 360. l.lhen the conveyer reaches this point of zero motionqno kinetic. energy remains in the material tocause' it to slide backward in the conveyor trough and consequently it remains at' rest until it is agitated by the f successive forward stroke.

- Loaded conveyers frequently attain a to* p tal Vweight vofmoiethan 20 tons, which must Y move forward at the` vhighest permissible velocity and be brought to a momentary or instantaneous stop and immediately rcversed, suoli reversals ofstroke occurring as frequently as .80 times per minute. It has thus far been impossible to construct a driving mechanisinwithin practical limits, havinO the ability to withstand the enormous strain incurred when the conveyer is operated so as to show a diagram approaching as nearly as possible to that whichis considered most efficient, such for example as is accomplished by the present drive. It may readily be seen that a driving mechanism would necessarily have to be built so heavy as to be extremely unwieldyand to'sacriice mobility which is among theanost essential of rea comparable motion by any set of gears or levers employing a rotabler drive.

l/Vhenthe crosshead i9 isi'xedby the pin 106, it intendedthat the crossheadV 81 be connected to the bottoni of the conveyor trough 102 through the pin 97 engaging the corresponding apertures in 4the flange .94 on the crosshead and in oiieend ofthe flanges v99 and 101 on the, bottoni of the conveyor. ln this manner, the conveyortrough 102 is connected'directly to the crosshead 8l and is caused to, move in the ysaine manner and impart the saine velocity, as is shown in the graph illustrated in Figure 5.

If it is-wislicd tochange'the direction of the drive and effect transport in the opposite direction as indicated by the arrow in Figure 6, the pin 106 fixing the crosshead 7 9 is revmoved and the crosshead 81 is moved until the aperture 104 is in alignment with the aperture 108 in the guide.l Y The pin 106 is then inserted thereinas shown in Figures 6 and 8, thereby fixing the crosshead Sillaiid allowing the crosshead 79 free to iioat.

ln .this manner the crosshead 81 becomes the fixed fulcruin for theftoggle levers 77 andy78, so that the levers will bepositioned during one' end of a'revolution ofthe crank shown bythe solid lines in Figure 6 and on the other end Will bepositioned as shown by the` dotted lines; klhile progressing 1 7 Thisgraph is substantially the same as or mounted apart that already described in Figure 5 except that theodirection of strokes is reversed.

The conveyer is connected to' the crosshead 8 2by the pin 97 engaging the corresponding apertures in the flange 93 formed on the top of the crosshead, .and the opposite aperture in the other end of the flanges 99 and 101 on the bottom of the conveyor. yThe conveyor trough 102, connected directly to the crosshead 82, Will move in they same manner With the same velocities as the crosshead, to effect transport of material in the apposite direction to that previously described in accordance With the graph shown in Figure 7. 4 y

It will be readily appreciated that this drive is readily reversible by first removing the pin 106 from eitherv the vertical aperture 107 or 108 in the crossheads 79 and 81 and the insertion in the opposite side. At the `same time which ever crosshead is free to float is attached to the 'conveyor trough through the pin 97 inserted in the aperture 98 in the upstanding'ianges 99 and 101 mounted on the bottom thereor".

The operation oit' the driving mechanism may be readily understood by irst having reference to Figure l. y .The shaft 34 journaled in the top and bottom of the casing 17, operating the motion translating mechanism,-is driven through the drive shaft 48 by the Worm gear'57 formed integral thereon, engaging the Worm gear 37 mounted on the shaft. The drive shaft 48-is operated by the electric motor 61 mounted on the base 11 supporting the mechanism. It is manifest that any other source of motive power in the form of other typesof prime movers may be substituted for that shown, and maintained in the same manner on the base from thev driving mechanism.y f

The worm gears 37k and 57 are maintained submerged in oil by the dam in the bottom of' thecasing 17 formed yby the collar 21 projecting in the indentation 39 formed on the underside of the Worm gear 37. The bearings 24 and 33 in Which the ends of theshaft 34 are journaled are maintained submerged in oil by the pansy 67 and 68 mounted on the shaft and rotating therewith, projecting above the top of the bearings. The pump 62 connected to the drive shaft 48 provides a continual circulation of the lubricant from the Well 13 through the casing 17Which at the same time affords a cooling effect on the oi-l overflow sprayed on the tops of the pans 67 and 68. Itis apparent that any suitable type of pump may be employed and driven by the prime mover as illustrated or operated from any other suitable source, as it is also obvious that in place lof the belt on the drive shaft., a

chain or gearing arrangement may be used.

The motion translating mechanism formed by the connecting rod 72, pivoted on the Wrist pin l71 operated by the crank 35 and connected to the crossheads 79 and 81 through the toggle levers 77 and 78 is maintained continually submerged in oiil, as the level of lubricant is adapted to maintain- ,edabove the parts, In the event ofthe failure of the pump 62, the bearings 83 and 24 will remain maintained submerged in the lubricant inthe pans G7 and 68 in the same manner as the Worm gears 57 and 37, by reason of the collar 21 maintaining the level of the oil about the major portion ofthe Worm gearsin the bottom of the casing 17. Any such failure may be noticed, moreover, before any serious damage occurs by reason of the lubricant in the casing 17 becoming heated and causing odors that will advise that there has beentan interruption in the flow of the lubricant.

In mounting the driving mechanism, it is deemed preferable to place the base 11 on .a bed plate 109, as shown in Figure 3, and

mount the samey under a conveyor trough for engagement With the crossheads by which it is desired to operate the conveyor directly with the bottom of the trough.

There is accomplished by this invention a driving mechanism for a reciprocating conveyor in which the direction of the drive may be reversed by the manipulation of two floating crossheads, and inwhich the bearings may be maintained submerged in lnbricant, and at the same time a cooling effect of a lubricant is obtained, and in which the conveyor trough may be attached directly to the crossheads moving back and forth in a fixed horizontal and vertical plane, thereby-relieving the y pendulum stresses, land the mechanismencased to conserve headroom for mounting, whereby a positive and fixed location of the same With respect to the conveyor trough to which it is connected is assured.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, l Wish it-to be understood that I do not conline myself to the'precise details of construction herein set forth, by Way of illustration, as itis apparent that many vchanges and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, Without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the yscope of the appended claims. l

I claim:

1. A conveyor drive comprising, floating means operating in longitudinal alignment .ment with the conveyor to impart strokes of vreciproeating motion, and means operatnon Ane

ing the reciprocating motion-imparting means to reverse the strokesy of reciprocating'motion. f

2.Y A lconveyor drive comprising, Vfioating means operating! inl longitudinal alignment" lwith the conveyor to impart strokes of reciprocating motion and means carried by the reciprocating motion-imparting means to reverse the strokesof reciprocating motion.

3. A drive comprising, a plurality of aligned crossheads operating iii guides, and means to selectively operate the cross head.

- 4. A drive comprising, a plurality of aligned crossheads operating inV guides, and

means carried by the guides to selectively operate the cross heads to reverse'the strokes imparted thereby.

5. A conveyor drive comprising, means to translate rotary motion, a plurality of levers connected to, crossheads mounted in aligned guides operated by the motion translating means, means formed on the crossheads for connection with aconve'yor, and means carried by the guides adapted to cooperate with means formed in the crossheads to selectively operate the Vcross headsto reverse the Vto fiX one of the reciprocatingV members whereby reciprocating motion is imparted by the other reciprocating member, the moliX lone of the reciprocating members whereby thev forward stroke is gradually accelerated for substantially two-thirds its length and rapidly decelerated the remainder Vof the stroke, and means to reverse the order of acceleration and deceleration ofv the strokes imparted by the ydrive by freeing the first reciprocating member and fixing the second reciprocating member. A In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RAYMOND A. WALTER.

tion imparted'b'y the drive being adapted to be reversed by freeing the first reciprocating'member and fixing the second reciprocating member. c

9. A conveyor drive comprising a rotary member, a plurality of reciprocating members selectively operated thereby, and means to fix one of the reciprocating members whereby the forward stroke is gradually acceleratedV for substantially two-thirds its Y length and rapidly decelerated the remainder of the stroke, and a backward stroke rapidly accelerated for substantially onethird yitsV length and gradually decelerated the remainder of the stroke, and imparted Iby the other reciprocating member.

10. A conveyor drive comprising a rotary member, a plurality of reciprocating members selectively operated thereby, means to 

